07112024-LSTL-01.qxd 11/6/2024 8:10 PM Page 1 c m y b FIRST MISS WORLD IS NO MORE Kiki Hakansson, the first-ever Miss World, has passed away at the age of 95. She died in her sleep on November 4 at her home in California. Her family confirmed that she ‘went peacefully, comfortably and well taken care of’. The announcement was made through the official Miss World Instagram account. TRIBUNE Name game Life Singer Ariana Grande has decided to use her birth name in the credits of her upcoming film Wicked, which is an adaptation of the Broadway musical. She explains, “Technically, it’s my little girl name…” LUDHIANA | THURSDAY | 7 NOVEMBER 2024 Meet Thama Ayushmann Khurrana is extremely excited to be a part of Thama, which will be made under the Maddock Films banner. In the film, Ayushmann will share screen space with Rashmika Mandanna and Nawazuddin Siddiqui. Ritvik Sahore, who is currently seen in Highway Love 2, says it’s not the length of his role but the storyline that decides which project he chooses ‘Good work will find its way’ Vikrant Parmar R EMEMBER the cute cousin of Geeta and Babita, Omkar Singh Phogat, from the blockbuster Dangal? If not, here is a reminder. He was child artiste Ritvik Sahore, who made quite a mark with his short, yet impactful stint in the film. Well, Ritvik never wanted to become an actor in the first place. As luck would have it, he was spotted and how! Today a well-known name in the industry, Ritvik’s first break came with the film Ferrari Ki Sawaari (2012), for which he received the Screen Award for Best Child Artist nomination. “I was roaming in a mall with my parents on a Friday evening, where I was coaxed into going, as I was more worried about my homework. Thank God, I went! The assistant director of the film Ferrari Ki Sawaari spotted me and the rest, as they say, is history. That night changed my life.” Not a trained actor, having performed in only a handful of plays during his school days, Ritvik learnt it all on ground. “It is not often that one gets a break like I did. I had no training in acting, but worked hard. My family is not from the industry, but I give all credit to them for never imposing their views on me, even when I was a child.” Dangal for him was an experience of a lifetime. Working with a superstar like Aamir Khan must be quite a daunting task? “On the contrary, it was a breeze as Aamir sir made everyone on the sets very comfortable. Even when I met him for the first time, he invited me and my family to a function at his home. He is a very calm person and a fantastic actor, something that goes without saying. I was 16 when I did Dangal and it was everything that I could have ever dreamt of.” Having rocked at the boxoffice, Dangal catapulted Ritvik into a different league, “The film gave a fillip to my career and I am thankful for that. In fact, it boosted the careers of all the young artistes who were a part of the film.” Ritvik, who is currently seen in Amazon MX Player’s web series Highway Love Season 2, has previously been a part of successful series such as Laakhon Mein Ek, Indori Ishq, Escaype Karan Aujla Live, Highway Love, Flames and Jamnapaar. “If a series goes into a second season, it is an indication that the audience has accepted and admired your work. I am happy that Highway Love has another outing.” While OTT is growing in popularity, Ritvik does not like to compare mediums. “Both films and OTT have given me a lot in life, but there is no comparison. Having said that, I believe the latter has provided more space for not only actors but all creative people, such as writers, directors and more. It offers opportunities, hope and motivation.” As for how he chooses his roles, Ritvik, says, “When I get a script, I never bother about the length of my role. It is all about whether I am enjoying the story, crying and laughing where I am supposed to. I have not done television yet, but am open to it. I believe good work will find its way, whichever platform it is.” And what kind of roles does he prefer? “I love doing romantic roles and they have worked greatly in my favour. But as an actor, I want to explore more genres — action, drama, thrillers, comedy.” Born and brought up in Mumbai, Ritvik’s family hails from Una in Himachal Pradesh, and he has some fond memories of Chandigarh too. “My nana ji used to read The Tribune,” he beams. Ritvik, who admires the work of Ranbir Kapoor, Rajkummar Rao, Alia Bhatt and Sharvari, keeps his word of advice for upcoming actors very simple, “Work hard, there is no substitute for that. Treat every audition not as a test but a learning experience, as an opportunity to get better. Keep exploring and remain patient.” Way to go! Ayushmann Khurrana joins Dinesh Vijan’s horror comedy universe Sharing his happiness on headlining the horror comedy universe, the Bala actor in a press note said, “I’m excited that Dinesh Vijan feels this is the best time for me to enter his blockbuster horror comedy universe in and as Thama. After Stree 2 became the alltime biggest Bollywood film in the history of Hindi cinema, I am thrilled to be part of this universe’s legacy as it moves forward and also feel responsible for giving audiences a theatrical experience that they will remember for years to come.” He is quite happy to collaborate with Dinesh Vijan after Bala. He added, “Dinesh and I have a similar passion for disruption.” Meanwhile, Ayushmann will also be seen sharing screen space with Sara Ali Khan in a yet-to-betitled film. — ANI SPADE WORK SATISH NARULA ‘I aim to evolve with every song’ Be it Mexico, Gangsta, Players, God Damn with Badshah or even Tauba Tauba from Bad Newz to name a few, Karan Aujla has given many hip-swaying numbers, making him one of the best Punjabi singers, which he agrees gets pressurising at times, considering that he needs to outrun his previously set benchmark. Asked if he feels the pressure at times considering he needs to give his best to outrun the previous record, he said, “Absolutely, there’s a certain level of pressure that comes with consistently releasing hit songs.” The singer, who hails from the Ghurala village in the Ludhiana district of Punjab, agrees that expectations are ‘motivating and daunting. “Each release brings high expectations from my fans and the industry, which can be both motivating and daunting. I always strive to give my best and while I love creating music, the fear of not meeting those expectations can sometimes be overwhelming,” said Karan, who got his breakthrough with the song Don’t Worry in 2018. “However, I try to focus on my passion for music rather than the charts,” said Karan, who has previously expressed his willingness to collaborate with the rappers 50 Cent and Drake. The 27-year-old heartthrob believes that creativity flows best when, “I’m not weighed down by pressure.” “Each song is a new opportunity to express myself and I aim to evolve with every release, exploring different themes and sounds while staying true to my style. Ultimately, I remind myself that the journey is just as important as the outcome,” added the singer. Aujla, who is all set to perform in several cities in India for his It Was All A Dream World Tour commencing on December 7, describes his music as diverse and experimental. “I would classify my style as being very diverse and experimental, which allows me to be open-minded and receptive to cultural diversity,” he shared. From Soch to the latest release Tauba Tauba, all his songs have been chartbusters. Karan said the key ingredient to his music being a hit is ‘its authenticity and relatability’. “I believe the key to my music striking an emotional chord with people lies in its authenticity and relatability. I’ve always aimed to tell stories that resonate with my audience, reflecting their experiences, emotions and the realities of life,” he shared. Karan strongly believes that the ‘fusion of cultures’ helps his music stand out. “It’s all about creating music that speaks to the heart, and I’m thankful that it resonates with so many people,” added the Canada-based artiste. The It Was All A Dream World Tour is presented and produced by Team Innovation and supported by Live Nation. — IANS c m y b Once a visitor to my nursery asked me which is the best fertiliser for my plants and I replied…The dust of your feet. Visit your plants regularly and they will talk to you, tell you what is deficient and what disease they are suffering from! They will also tell you what insect is gnawing at them. Stand near it, look at it and you will know about it, after some experience. And we will help you explore it! You may have casually seen some black ants moving about on your plant. Did you ever think what their interest was? Now, look for an insect, the aphid, and you will surely find them aplenty, mostly on the terminal growing parts of the plants. So, you thought the ants came to hunt for them? No. And don’t be surprised if I told you that these insect nymphs are their dairy ‘cows’. They are always vigilant to protect them and in case of an emergency, they even pick and carry them gently to a safer place! At merry times, these ants gently rub their antenna on the soft-bodied insects, which in turn ooze out ‘honeydew’ that the ants relish. But why to talk about ants and aphids now? Because It is that time of the year when your plants are vulnerable and you need to keep aphids at bay Talk to your plant! this is the time of the year when they appear in large numbers on almost all the plant species, be it the crop plants, fruit plants, vegetables, ornamentals or seasonal flowering plants. The users of the twowheelers are more familiar with this insect, the adults of which become airborne when wind swept and fall into the exposed eyes of the driver during this period! This is the time of the year when they lay eggs to multiply in large numbers, but nature has its own interesting ways. There appear Ladybird beetles, the predators, which devour on their young ones with magical hunger. An adult can eat about 50 aphid nymphs in a day! And then there is competition, a fight for survival. Seeing the mass massacre, the adult aphids start giving birth to young ones straight, bypassing the egg-laying process. They are in such large numbers that they considerably damage the plant by sucking the sap and devitalising them. There is curling of leaves and even the fruits get out of shape. Another glaring symptom that appears on the plants is blackening of the leaves on either side. This is due to the oozing honeydew from the aphid nymphs that invite all kinds of moulds. These cut of the photosynthesis area of the leaves and thus harm the plant. To control aphids and sooty mould, you can spray rogor and blitox mixed together, at one and a half ml and two and a half gms to a litre of water, respectively. Mix with it a small amount of sticker that is also available at pesticide shops. Repeat the spray after a week to 10 days. (The author is a Chandigarh-based horticulturist. He retired from Punjab Agriculture University)